June 13, 1999, CE
     Yesterday I visited Machava and Libertad, both outlying Maputo. Sive had a meeting in Machava, so we went there first. We drove out of the city, and through a large industrial area. About four miles outside the city, we exited the freeway and got onto a dirt road, which took us up a hill. There was a great view of the skyline of Maputo (which unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of). The church in Machava is small -- smaller than Mineral Presbyterian in terms of building size -- and made of concrete. It was warm and sunny outside, but dark and cool inside. There were crayon writings on the wall, but otherwise the church was undecorated. Their altar was actually a table, and their pews were hard wood. The meeting was a monthly get together of area churches. Once again I was introduced (I am always curious about what they are saying about me -- in this place they spoke Arroyo -- I think -- not Portuguese) and once again I had to give a little speech. No one ever warned me that I would have to give numerous speeches to people who can't understand what I say. They were very curious, wanting to know about my background and family. They specifically sent their love to the church at Mineral and my family! After I was done being introduced, I was excused.
     I waited a bit for my guide to come and take me to Liberdade, the first of the projects I will visit. Liberdade is perhaps even stranger than Machava, to my eyes. It is, no doubt about it, a suburb. It has extremely regular plotted streets, and each property is exactly the same size as the next. There are sidewalks, and a row of trees down the middle of the road. All that seems very western. Many of the houses, though, were very African. The "front yard" would be given to maize, cassava and bean plantings, with citrus trees interspersed. Chickens wandered around. The fences were made of reeds. Some of the houses looked very western, others look like what you would expect an African house to look like. The church there is entirely concrete. It is very big, and according to my guide (who lives in Liberdade, works for the US Embassy, and previously worked for the UN) has been under construction for about 7 years. What it needs now is the expensive stuff -- doors, windows, a floor... he guessed that it would take another 2 years, if they found money. There are also plans for a manse. That area of Liberdade must be zoned religious, because on their right the Assembly of God church is building a worship center, and on their left the Muslims are building a mosque. Right now the Presbyterian community of Libertad is worshipping in the front yard of one of it's members. As my guide said, "After twenty years of having the church in his yard, I think he will miss it."
     Off to Nampula! May God bless and keep you all!
The outside of the church at Machava

  The inside of the church

 

Inside the church at Liberdade My guide on the tour of Liberdade The suburb of Liberdade